Walker Aggregates – Supporting Pollinator Health

Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, beetles and hummingbirds, are crucial contributors to ecosystem health and diversity. Pollination supports wildlife, creates healthy watersheds, and stimulates plant and tree development. Over 75% of flowering plants need pollination to survive, and pollinators account for 35% of crop production worldwide.

Many of Walker Aggregates’ sites help to support pollinators by working with local beekeepers to establish a location to host hives. Having a location to house bees for the winter and early spring management is critical to the success of beekeeping.

Tim Greer of Lilley Bee Apiaries said, “with the many challenges that the bees face these days, such as reduced areas to forage on nectar bearing plants, insecticide pressures, parasitic mites, etc., a sheltered site to ease the harshness of the winter winds is essential to their survival.

“Walker Aggregates’ willingness to not only host the beehives but to see to the proper management of their forests and marginal land goes a long way towards helping the bees. The variety of plants yielding pollen (the bee’s protein) is a big boost in the spring build-up of colony strength.

“We greatly value the longstanding relationship we have had with the quarry site and can’t thank you enough for providing an environment to safely grow our bees.”

Walker currently hosts beehives at four of their quarry sites. Tim Greer currently has beehives at the Walker Aggregates – Vineland Quarry site.